Funding local authorities - Time for a reappraisal

BECAUSE the cost of processing a planning application is far greater than the fee charged, anyone submitting an application to a local authority next year could, in theory, face fees up to 750% of current rates.

The prospect looms because local authorities need funds to provide services we all take for granted. At the moment a house application costs €65 but processing it can cost almost €750.

Recently developers complained that their costs were out of line because our communications system could not always cope with the detailed documents involved in the planning process.